Target
by laoisbabe
Summary: Following an attempt on Jack's life the team desperatly try to protect him. Final Chapters up.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Anything in italics are thoughts. Please read as so.

**TARGET**

Jack and Vivienne are leaving the Courthouse when a shot rings out from above. Vivienne reaches for her weapon and crouches down. The impact from the bullet sends Jack face first to the ground.

_'What the hell? Something's hit me hard. Pain…sharp pain…my shoulder…my back. I'm falling. Can't catch my breath. The pavement's coming up fast. Ouch..my face, that hurt! What's happening? Thi si not good._

_Why's everyone screaming? Someone help me, I can't move. Is that blood on the pavement? Am I bleeding? Viv, I can't speak. What's she saying? It hurts. I can't breath. Vivienne, I can't hear you. I'm scared. Am I dying?_

_I can see the sky now, so blue. She's pressing my chest. Not so hard, it hurts so much. I can see her tears. Sirens. I must be dying. More faces. Are they talking to me? I'm tired now. Just need to sleep. It's getting darker, I'll just close my eyes.'_

"Jack!" Viv shouts as Jack hits the pavement with a sickening thud. She is looking around all the rooftops trying to see from where the shot came. It's no good, she can't see the shooter. People around her are running and screaming, with the exception of Jack. He's lying on the pavement, face down, perfectly still. She freezes for an instant, and stares at him, before jumping into action. She moves towards his head and feels for a pulse, while dialing 911 on her cell phone. She can see where the bullet entered his body, just below his right shoulder. A pool of blood is forming under him.

She rolls him over and is horrified to see the exit wound in his chest. She presses hard on the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Don't you die on me, Jack Malone! Not here! Just hang in there," she begs as she looks deep into his frightened eyes. His gaze is fixed skywards, as he fights for breath.

It's not long before Vivienne hears the sirens and the ambulance pulls up. The paramedics rush over to the pair and Viv steps back as they get to work.

"He's bleeding out," one of them tells the other. "Call ahead. Tell them we're coming in fast, okay?"

"What's his name?" the paramedic asks Viv.

"Jack. Jack Malone," she replies.

"Jack, can you hear me Jack? Open your eyes for me, Jack," the paramedic asks Jack.

"He's lost consciousness. His pulse is very weak. We gotta go now," he says to Viv, as he and his colleague lift Jack onto a stretcher and hastily load him into the ambulance.

The journey is a blur. Thankfully, they are only a matter of minutes from the Mercy Hospital.

They stop and quickly wheel Jack into the Emergency Room. They are met by a number of medical staff. As an array of orders are shouted around the Trauma Room, Vivienne stands back and tries to keep out of the way. Amid all the activity, her cell phone rings.

"Johnson," she answers, staring at a bloodied Jack.

"Viv, it's Danny. Where are you? I thought you and Jack were coming straight back," he says.

"Jack's been shot," Viv says abruptly.

"What?" Danny asks, not believing his ears.

"I'm in the E.R. at Mercy Hospital. They're working on him now," Viv informs him.

"How bad is it?" Danny asks with great concern.

"It's bad, Danny. It's bad," is all Viv says.

"Okay. Em, we'll be right there, okay?" he tells her as he hangs up.


	2. Chapter 2

**FBI Headquarters**

"We've just received intelligence that Sadiq Marku has put a contract out on Jack Malone. The source is reliable, and we believe the threat to be genuine. Where's Malone now?" Deputy Director Victor Fitzgerald asks PAula Van Doren.

"He's on the witness list at the Courthouse today. He's due back in the next hour," Paula Van Doren tells him.

"He's going to have to be more security conscious now. Make sure comeone accompanies him wherever he goes for a while. Maybe he should stay in a motel as an extra precaution," Fitzgerald suggests.

"Are you going to tell him, or will I?" Van Doren smiles.

Fitzgerald smiles back.

"I know this won't go down well, but we have people looking into the threat. He'll just have to keep a low profile for a while and put up with it."

"I'll get in touch with him," Van Doren promises.

Just as Victor Fitzgerald is about to leave her office, Van Doren's telephone rings.

"Yes," she answers, signalling to Fitzgerald to wait. "Oh no! How bad is it? Which hospital? Okay, thank you," she says as she hangs up.

"We're too late," she tells Fitzgerald. "Jack Malone was shot by a sniper as he left the Courthouse a half hour ago."

"Damn it! Is he alive?" Victor asks.

"He's alive, but hurt pretty badly. He was taken to Mercy Hospital," she tells him.

"We'd better get over there. Can you get me Mike Travers on the phone? His unit is investigating the threat. I need to know what they've got so far," Victor asks.

"Sure. I'll get my secretary to put the call through to the car," Paula says as she readies herself to leave the office.

On the way to the hospital, Fitzgerald and Van Doren talk about the potential threat to Jack's life, if he survives.

"If he makes it and Marku gets wind of it, he'll try again for sure," Victor comments.

The car phone rings and Van Doren answers it.

"It's Mike Travers," she says as she hands the phone to Fitzgerald.

"Hi Mike. Victor Fitzgerald here. I presume you've heard that Jack Malone was shot a short while ago," he asks.

"Yes, Sir, I've just heard,"

"We don't know if he's going to make it or not. We're on our way to the hospital right now. I need to know how your investigation's going. Have you any leads or anything on who the shooter might be?" Victor asks.

"We're on our way to the scene now, Sir. Forensics will examine it. All we have to go on is 'word on the street'. I'm pretty sure the contract is a 'no kill no fee' arrangement. If Jack makes it, he'll need round the clock protection," Travers informs the senior man.

"Alright. We might have to come up with an alternative then. Thanks, Mike," Fitzgerald says as he hangs up.

They pull up outside the hospital. The two agents ask at reception about Jack and are told that he was being operated on. They are given directions to the surgical floor.

They take the elevator to the fourth floor. They then follow the signs for 'Operating Theatres'. As they approach, they see a lonely, suited figure, sitting hunched in a chair by the wall. As they get closer, they can see the blood on her clothes and on her hands.

"Agent Johnson?" Van Doren says gently, as she sits beside her. It is obvious that the agent is shaken. Vivienne looks up, surprised to see the Deputy Director looking down on her.

"Is there any news on Jack?" Van Doren asks, hoping to hear good news.

"They're trying to stop the bleeding," Viv answers, looking toward the Theatre doors.

"Vivienne, this wasn't a random shooting. We've just received intelligence that Sadiq Marku put a contract out on Jack," Fitzgerald tells her.

"What?" Vivienne asks with surprise, recognising the name, but not quite connecting it.

"There's a team looking into it now. We're pretty sure that if Jack makes it, Marku will send someone to finish the job. We've been discussing our options and we've decided that it might be best for the world to think Jack Malone is dead, for now at least," Fitzgerald explains.

"What are you saying?" Viv asks, somewhat confused by what she's hearing.

"We're taking the necessary steps with the hospital to make it look like Jack is dead. The problem is that if this is to work, it has to be convincing. The fewer people that know the truth, the better," Fitzgerald continues. "Do you understand what I'm asking?"

"Yes. You want us to pretend that Jack is dead," Viv tells him.

"I want you to pretend he's dead," Victor corrects her.

"What about the rest of the team?" Viv asks.

"We need it to look real, Vivienne," Van Doren explains. "The others will have to believe he's dead too. Grief is hard to feign. It has to look real."

"I don't believe this. You want me to lie to the others," Viv asks with disbelief. "How can you expect me to keep such a secret?"

"It has to be this way, Agent Johnson. Jack's life depends on it," Fitzgerald says. "We'll make sure he disappears for a while, for as long as necessary."

"I don't believe this," Viv exclaims, holding her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Vivienne. We have to go and make some arrangements with the hospital. No doubt the rest of your team will be here soon. You need to act as naturally as you can. Can you handle this?" Fitzgerald asks her.

"Yes, Sir, I can," she answers confidently. "Do I have a choice?" she says under her breath.

**Across Town**

In the back room of the Blue Moon Strip Club, Sadiq Marku is sitting behind on the desk in his office, enjoying the perks of the job. He has a young semi-naked blond girl sitting astride him, kissing and licking his neck and flirting for all she is worth. There's a knock on the door and another younger man enters. Marku pushes the young girl off him and smacks her on the backside, signalling her to leave them alone.

"Is it done?" Marku asks the young man.

"I think so. There's been a shooting outside the courthouse. The cops are crawling all over the place.

"Have you heard from Olaf?" Marku asks.

"Not yet. He's probably lying low for a while," the other man answers.

"Not to worry. He'll call soon enough. He'll want the rest of his money. You tell him he gets nothing until it's confirmed that Malone is dead," Marku orders.

"Sure boss, I'll tell him," the young man says as he leaves the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Mercy Hospital**

Viv is sitting once again, alone, outside the operating theatre. A hundred and one thoughts race through her mind. How can this be happening? It has to be a nightmare, and I'll wake up soon, she thought.

Just then the elevator door opens and Samantha, Danny and Martin emerge. They hurry towards Vivienne.

"How is he?" Danny asks eagerly as he approaches.

"I don't know. It looks bad," Viv answers as she looks at her hands, and notices for the first time the amount of dried blood on them. Sam notices this. She can also see how shook up her friend is.

"Why don't you go and get freshened up?" she suggests, putting her hand on Viv's shoulder.

"Yeah, probably a good idea. I'll find the restroom. Will you come and get me if the doctors come out?" she asks.

"Sure," Sam replies.

Viv enters the ladies room and stands at the wash basin and looks into the mirror. She looks a mess. She rolls up the sleeves of her blouse and begins to wash her hands. She is stunned to see how red the water is becoming. For the first time today, she feels physically sick. It's not from the sight of the blood, but from the realisation of what is about to transpire. She runs to a cubicle and vomits into the toilet bowl. She feels a little better after that. She returns to the basin and splashes water on her face and rinses her mouth. She puts back on her jacket and returns to join her friends.

"Feeling better?" Martin asks.

"A little," she answers as she sits back down to wait.

The four agents wait anxiously for news. After what seemed like an eternity, a doctor emerges from the theatre area, removing his surgical cap as he approaches. Sam, Martin and Danny are quick to their feet. Vivienne doesn't budge, just takes a deep breath and tries to guage the expression on the doctor's face.

"How is he, Doctor?" Sam asks immediately.

"His wound was quite severe. We did our best to repair the damage but I'm afraid he'd lost a lot of blood. He suffered a cardiac arrest during surgery, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to revive him. He died a few minutes ago. I'm so sorry," the doctor informs them calmly.

"What?" Martin exclaims, not believing what he's just been told. "Jack's dead?"

The doctor nods and once again expresses his sympathy. Samantha is stunned. The words "Jack's dead" are slowly absorbed into Sam's mind and, as she realises what's being said she begins repeating, "No…No, he's not dead. No….please, no.." she pleads with the doctor. Martin puts his arms around her, just as her knees give way and she crumples to the floor in tears. Martin holds her tightly, trying to comfort her. Danny, unsure how to express his grief just turns and walks down the corridor, his two arms raised, his hands clenched at back of his head. He is so angry and upset. He stops and suddenly punches the wall.

Vivienne sits motionless, tears rolling down her cheeks. She's unsure if her tears are for Jack or for her friends, who believe their world has just disintegrated. She desperately wants to tell them that its okay, but for Vivienne, confusion reigned. Was this part of the cover up or was Jack really dead? She needed to know. The doctor leaves them dealing with their grief. Martin is still on the floor, holding Sam, who was sobbing uncontrollably. He looks up at Vivienne, with tears in his eyes.

"What do we do now?" he asks, looking up at Vivienne.

"I don't know. I can't believe this is happening. I guess there's nothing else we can do but go home," she suggests. The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach is returning. Martin agrees with her suggestion. He encourages Samantha to her feet. He puts his arm around her shoulders and guides her to the elevator.

"There's nothing more we can do here," he says to Samantha, as they step into the elevator. She's in no fit state to argue. She's inconsolable. Danny marches back up the corridor towards Vivienne.

"We have to find the bastard who did this, Viv," Danny rants. "I'll kill him."

"Danny, we can't get involved in this. They already have another team assigned to this," Viv tells him, trying to bring him back to reality.

"I can't just sit by and do nothing," he replies.

"I know how you feel, but you can't set out to get revenge and blow any chance of getting justice for Jack. We all want the bastard caught, but letting our emotions rule won't help," she explains.

"I just don't know what to do," Danny says, as he breaks down in tears. Viv puts her hand around the back of his head and pulls him toward her. He cries like a child on her shoulder.

"You should go home too. I'll call you later," she suggests.

Danny nods in acknowledgement, trying to compose himself, before heading toward the elevator. Once again, Vivienne is alone in the corridor. She immediately phones Van Doren, anxious to know about Jack.

"Did he make it?" she asks abruptly.

"Yes, he's stable. The wound wasn't as serious as first suspected. They had to remove a small portion of his right lung, but they say he can still live a perfectly normal life. He's been put in a private room, 683, under the name of Michael Harris," Van Doren explains.

"Can I see him?" Viv asks.

"Yes, but be discreet. No flashing of credentials or anything that will draw attention. You know the drill. We can't risk his cover being compromised," she tells her.

"And what about Jack's family?" Viv asks.

"They've been informed of the situation. Maria has agreed to play along. The children don't really understand," Paula replies.

"Okay, so what now?" Viv asks.

"Right now, Agent Johnson, I have to give a press conference in relation to the murder of one of our agents," she tells her.

"Oh, alright. I'll pop in and see how Jack, I mean Michael Harris is doing then. Goodbye," Viv says, as she hangs up.

Viv finds Room 683 after a while. She enters quietly. Jack is lying on the bed, surrounded by monitors, blissfully unaware of everything that's unfolding around him. His right shoulder and upper chest are heavily bandaged. His right arm is immobilised, strapped to his chest. He is breathing on his own, which Vivienne takes to be a good sign. The intermittent blip of the cardiac monitor breaks the silence.

"Oh, Jack," Viv sighs. "What a mess!"

She sits with Jack for a couple of hours. A nurse comes in and out every half hour or so, to check on him. She is sitting, lost in her thoughts when Jack starts to come round. His eyes flicker and his face changes. He's struggling to open his eyes.

"Jack, it's Viv. You're going to be okay. You're in the hospital," she tells him, leaning in close to him. He doesn't answer. He's obviously groggy and confused.

'_What's happened to me? Something doesn't feel right. My eyelids are so heavy. Aah, that light, it's blinding. Where am I? Am I dead? Feels like a weight on my chest…it's heavy. Breathing hurts again. A voice, I know that voice. My throat hurts, I can't speak. My mouth's so dry. Someone's standing there. Come on eyes, focus. Someone smiling, is that Viv?'_

"Jack, do you remember anything?" Viv asks.

He's groaning. She can see he's trying to say something. He's licking his lips and looking for some water. She grabs a glass from the locker beside the bed.

"Here, take some ice chips. They should help," she says kindly, spooning them carefully into his mouth. Jack takes the ice chips greedily and gratefully.

"Thanks," he croaks, his throat still dry.

"You were shot, Jack. Do you remember anything?" Viv asks again.

"Not really," Jack replies weakly.

"It was a hit, Jack, a deliberate attempt on your life. The bad news is that the Deputy Director thinks they'll try and finish the job," she informs him.

Jack listens intently, not sure if he's hearing correctly.

"So, they've decided to let them think you're dead," Viv continues. She sees him close his eyes and frown, trying to comprehend what she's telling him.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you Jack?" she asks, unsure if he truly understands.

"Eh, I think so. You want them to think I'm dead. Do we know who 'they' are?" Jack asks.

"Intelligence says it's Marku. We don't know who the shooter is though," Viv replies.

"Marku? I must have really pissed him off. Who else thinks I'm dead?" he asks looking straight at her.

"Pretty much everyone. Van Doren's holding a press conference as we speak," Viv tells him.

"Maria and the girls?" Jack asks, worried for his family.

"They know the truth, along with Van Doren, Victor Fitzgerald and the surgical team," Viv tells him.

"And Sam?" he asks somewhat puzzled.

"No, Jack, they all think you're dead," Viv informs him. Jack is stunned. His silence is telling.

"We can't risk the truth being leaked. It has to be convincing, Jack. Your hospital chart says Michael Harris. That's who you are now, so just play along. Can you do this?" she asks, concerned for her friend.

"Sounds like the decision's already been made and I don't have a choice," he realises.

"I'm sorry, Jack. If it's any help, I'll be here for you," Viv says, feeling as if she's to blame.

"Thanks," Jack says gratefully.

**Across Town**

"Excuse me, Sadiq, Olaf's here," the young man says as he puts his head in the door.

"Send him in," Marku orders.

The door opens wide and there stands Olaf, all 6 ft 2" of him. His broad shoulders fill the doorway. He is dressed in a leather jacket, t-shirt and a pair of denim jeans. He looks an intimidating figure. Marku stands up as he enters the room. He extends his hand in greeting.

"Have you solved my little problem, my friend?" Marku asks him, as he shakes his hand.

"You won't need to worry about him any more," Olaf says smiling.

"Are you sure he's dead?" Marku asks.

"Look, he took a high velocity round in the back. Not too many people survive that," Olaf tells him.

"I need to be sure. Probably is not good enough. You're not getting another cent until I have 100 percent proof that he's dead, so find out for sure," Marku shouts.

"How the hell do I do that? I start asking questions, they'll want to know who I am?" Olaf tells him, with a heavy accent.

"I don't care! Wait…I have an idea. I have a contact in the F.B.I. who owes me. Let me make a call. You can wait out there," he says, pointing to the door. Olaf makes his way back out to the bar. He orders a beer and waits. Eventually, Marku comes out of the office, not looking too pleased.

"He's still alive. He's in surgery. Looks like you still have some work to do," Marku says with authority.

"Don't worry, I'll finish the job. Mr. Malone won't see the sun rise," Olaf promises, pushing back the bar stool and downing his beer. He walks out of the club, without saying another word.


	4. Chapter 4

Meanwhile, at F.B.I. Plaza, Paula Van Doren is reading a statement to the press.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming. I just have a brief statement to make. At approximately 12.30pm today Special Agent Jack Malone was shot and seriously wounded by a gunman, outside the Courthouse. Agent Malone was rushed to Mercy Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. Despite the surgeons' best efforts, Agent Malone died shortly after 3pm. At this difficult time, our thoughts are with his family and colleagues. Jack Malone was a talented and dedicated agent and he will be sadly missed. We would like to ask for the public's assistance in bringing his killer to justice. If anyone was in the area of the Courthouse today and noticed anything out of the ordinary, please call the number at the bottom of your screen. Or if anyone as any information, please call us now. Thank you."

"Ms. Van Doren? Jake Santorini, Channel 10," the reporter says, identifying himself. "The method use to kill Agent Malone bears the hallmarks of a contract killing. Have you any leads in this regards?"

"Forensic teams are examining the scene at the moment. We hope to be able to establish a definite line of enquiry very soon," Van Doren replies.

"Tom Phillips, CBS News. Is the fact that Agent Malone was due to give evidence in a hearing this week significant?"

"It may be. This is something that we are also looking in to." Van Doren answers.

"Sara Harding, Newsnight. It is rumoured that the F.B.I. were aware of a threat to Agent Malone's life. Would you care to comment on this?"

"I was not aware of any threat having been made," Van Doren answers bluntly. "Thank you, Ladies & Gentlemen. You'll have to excuse me. I have an investigation to run. Thank you," Van Doren says, as she steps away from the podium.

"Nicely done," Victor Fitzgerald says to her as she approaches him.

"Thanks. I have to wonder sometimes, where do they get their information from?" Van Doren asks in exasperation. How did they know about the threat?

--------------------------------------

Down town in Samantha's apartment, Martin and Sam have just watched the news conference on the t.v. Sam is shivering on the sofa, still in shock. Martin hands her a cup of tea. He can see how devastated she is.

"Why don't you go and lie down for a while," he suggests, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

"Oh, Martin," she says as she begins to cry once more. "I can't believe this is happening. It's just not right. His poor kids."

"I know, Sam. I can't believe it either. It must be devastating for Maria and the girls," Martin agrees.

"We have to do something, Martin," Sam says suddenly, as if a cloud had been lifted.

"What can we do? There's already an investigation up and running. We won't be let become involved. We're too emotionally involved already," he tells her, reminding her of protocol in such matters.

"Well I can't just sit here, knowing that Jack's killer is out there somewhere," Sam shouts angrily.

"Okay, what if I call in some favours and see what I can find out. I'll call Danny and Viv. I'm sure they'll want to help," Martin says as he picks up his cell phone.

A few blocks from the hospital, Danny is sitting alone at a table in The Shamrock Bar. It's quiet, with only a handful of customers there. The t.v. is on in the corner. He's just watched the news bulletin, which showed Van Doren's press conference. He orders a drink from the bartender, bourbon on the rocks. When the drink arrives he sits and stares into the glass. He picks it up and rattles the ice around the glass, contemplating. He puts it back down and continues staring blankly at the glass. He remembers his boss, his mentor, a surrogate father. Jack had always treated him with respect, but never failed to kick his butt whenever he messed up. You could always rely on Jack to call a spade a spade. He couldn't believe he was gone. He felt so angry that someone had cut him down in his prime. He felt once again, robbed of a father. He had so much still to offer. Danny didn't know how to deal with the rage burning inside him. He was about to down the bourbon when his phone rang.

"Hey, Danny, are you okay?" Martin asks, sensing something was up.

"Nope," is the only reply he gets.

"Where are you?" Martin asks, concerned about his friend.

"In some bar near the hospital, about to toast an old friend," Danny tells him.

"Oh, come on buddy. Don't, please," Martin pleads. He didn't want his mate to fall off the wagon. He's been doing so well.

"Don't worry, I haven't… yet!" Danny replies.

"Good, now don't, okay. Jack wouldn't want it this way. Anyway, Sam and I need your help," Martin tells him.

"Help with what?" Danny asks curiously.

"Meet me at the office in an hour. I'll explain all then," Martin orders, before hanging up. Danny leaves the drink and a tip on the table and walks out.

Sam and Martin get to the office within the hour. Sam gets emotional again, as they walk past Jack's office. The realisation that he will never again come barging out to the bullpen hits her. Martin puts his arm around her.

"I'm okay," she says, pulling away. "I'll be okay."

"I know you will. It's hard being here right now. I feel it too," Martin says. Sam nods in agreement and finds a tissue. Danny is already sitting at his desk when they arrive.

"Is Viv coming?" Danny enquires.

"I couldn't reach her. Her phone must be switched off. I guess she doesn't want to be reached tonight," Martin explains.

"It's just us then," Danny replies. "Right, what are we doing and where do we start?"

"I was able to pull some strings and word is that Sadiq Marku organised the hit," Martin begins.

"Marku?" Danny exclaims, "I remember him. The Jordano case, right?"

"That's him," Martin replies. "We need to see if he has any connection to the court case where Jack was to give evidence. Then we need to find out who the shooter was and find a link between the two."

"Simple as that," Sam comments, not at all convinced they can do this.

"Right, Martin, you follow up with forensics. See what they found at the scene today. Sam, can you do a background on Marku. See if there's any link to the defendant in the court case. I'll call in on some of Marku's known associates, see if anyone is talking," Danny tells them.

"Good, but keep your heads down. If Van Doren gets wind of what we're doing, she'll go nuts," Martin warns.

-----------------------------------------

Jack spent a restless night at the hospital. Vivienne insisted on staying the night with him. She fell asleep in the armchair in the corner of Jack's room. She was woken by him calling out several times in his nightmares. Eventually, the night nurse administered a sedative to help him sleep. The rest of the night passed peacefully.

Next morning Jack woke to see Vivienne dozing in the armchair. He smiled to himself, but didn't disturb her. He lay there thinking about what had happened and wondered what the future held for him. Would he ever get his life back? Even though his life was far from perfect, he still wanted things back to normal.

"Jack, you're awake," Viv says, interrupting his thoughts.

"Didn't want to wake you," he answers.

"Is that the time?" she says looking at her watch. "I'd better head home and freshen up. Will you be okay for a while? I'll have to make an appearance at the office at some stage today. It's sure going to be strange, everyone thinking you're dead and me having just left you alive and well here."

"I guess so. I'll be fine here. I have those pretty nurses for company, and anyway, what's the worst that could happen, I'm already dead," Jack quips, trying to find the humour of the situation.

"That's not funny, Jack," Viv chides.

"Well, if I can't laugh about it, what else can I do?" Jack retorts.

"Fine. I'll see you later. You take it easy," Viv says as she closes the door behind her.

After quickly freshening up at home, Viv goes in to work. She is surprised to see the rest of the team, already there. They look engrossed in whatever they're doing.

"I didn't expect to see you here so early," she says to them.

"Where were you? We were trying to reach you last night," Danny asks.

"I turned my phone off. I just needed to be alone," Viv lied.

"Are you okay?" Sam enquires.

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks," Viv replies.

"We're going to get whoever did this, Viv," Martin tells her.

"What?" Viv asks with surprise.

"Yeah! We owe it to Jack to find whoever did this," Danny says eagerly. Vivienne is unsure how to react.

"But, there's already a team assigned to this. You can't just jump in feet first and screw up their investigation," Viv replies, trying to reason with the younger agents.

"We have to, Viv. I thought you'd understand," Martin says, disappointed at Vivienne's lack of enthusiasm.

"I do understand. And I understand how much you're all hurting right now. Jack was a good man, our friend. But he wouldn't want any of you to throw away your careers to avenge him," Viv reminds them.

"We can't just sit around and do nothing," Danny insists.

"You could do more harm than good," Viv warns as she walks away toward the elevator.

"I can't believe her," Sam says with disgust. She turns around to the two guys.

"I can," Martin replies.

"What do you mean?" Danny asks.

"Well, with Jack gone, looks like Viv will get her promotion, at last. She wouldn't want to jeopardize that, now would she?" Martin answers cynically.

"Viv's not like that, Martin. Jack was a close friend to her. She was with him yesterday when he was shot. You saw her at the hospital, covered in his blood. She's probably still in shock," Danny reminds the others.

"Whatever! Either way, it looks like it's just the three of us," Martin concludes.

**Across Town**

The phone rings in Marku's office. He answers it.

"Have you seen the news?" the voice on the other end of the line asks.

"No, why?" Marku asks.

" Malone died on the table," he tells him.

"That's good news. I'll be in touch," Marku smiles. Problem solved.


	5. Chapter 5

Vivienne is called in to Van Doren's office.

"How's Jack?" she asks sincerely.

"He's doing better. Grumpy as hell but physically healing," Viv replies.

"That's good," Van Doren says, as she takes her seat and gestures for Vivienne to take one also.

"Any word about the hit?" Viv asks, hoping there were some leads.

"Mike Travers' team is watching Marku. They're keeping track of who's coming and who's going. Plenty of activity but so far, no one they can connect to the shooting," Van Doren informs her.

"The rest of my team are anxious to be involved in the investigation. They want to help," Viv tells her.

"You know I can't allow that," Paula replies apologetically.

"I know. They're really taking the whole thing quite badly," Viv continues.

"I understand. But it has to be this way, you know the reasons," Paula tells her.

Vivienne nods in agreement. They continue to discuss the case and the proposed security measures at the hospital. On Van Doren's suggestion, Vivienne agrees to take some time off 'to deal with Jack's death'. In reality, she will be part of the security detail at the hospital, keeping a close eye on Jack.

Viv returns to the bullpen on the 12th Floor. As she prepares to leave, she tells the rest of the team of her decision to take some time off.

"We understand, Viv. Will we see you at the funeral?" Martin asks.

"Of course. I'll be there," she replies, hating lying to the other agents.

"I'll call you as soon as I know the arrangements," Samantha promises, as she gives Viv a comforting hug.

Viv turns to each of the team and hugs them all and says her goodbyes.

"Stay out of trouble," she warns them, as she walks toward the elevators.

After Vivienne leaves, Danny turns to the others and says,

"I didn't think she'd take it this hard."

"Maybe she just needs time to get her head together. She was there when it happened," Martin reminds him.

"I guess," Danny remarks. "Okay then, let's get back to business. Have we got anything on Marku's movements, business interests, anything?"

"According to the IRS, he is employed at Green Label Imports, a fruit and veg import company. He is suspected of importing a lot more than fruit though. ATF are trying to build a case against him for gun smuggling. He's also involved in the sex trade. He covers himself well though and anytime busts are made, it's usually the small fish that fry," Martin informs them.

"I don't get it. Why kill Jack? He has no involvement in these investigations," Sam wonders.

"No, but he was due to give evidence against a guy called Petrovic, who we collared at a brothel during the Milana Vasilv case a few months back. Turns out Petrovic is Marku's right hand man. There has been intimidation of several witnesses prior to this case being heard. I guess they knew Jack wouldn't be intimidated, so they took him out," Martin surmises.

"Right. We need to set up surveillance on Marku. See who he's been talking to recently.

**Across Town**

The phone rings in Marku's office. He answers it gruffly.

"What the hell are you doing calling me here?" he shouts, as he realises the identity of the person on the other end.

"Malone's not dead," the source replies.

"What? I've just watched the press conference. Are you sure?" Marku asks.

"It's a smoke screen. They want you to think he's dead," he continues.

"Fuck. So where is he?" Marku demands.

"At the hospital, under the name Michael Harris," he tells him.

Marku hangs up and immediately calls Olaf.

"The F.B.I. are fucking with us. Malone is still alive. They're protecting him. He's under the name Michael Harris. You'd better finish the job this time," he orders.

He hangs up and throws his glass of Bud at the wall in frustration.

------------------------------

Meanwhile, Vivienne returns to the hospital to see Jack. He is sleeping when she arrives. She goes to the cafeteria for a coffee and by the time she returns, Jack has woken.

"Hey," she greets him. "You look better. How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a bus," he says, as he tries to raise himself into a sitting position.

"Easy," Viv warns. "Here, let me help you."

Vivienne adjusts the pillows behind Jack and helps him ease into a semi sitting position.

"So, how's the world dealing with my death?" Jack asks.

"Samantha's devastated, so is Martin. Danny's angry as hell, bent on getting revenge. I haven't spoken to Maria or the kids," Viv tells him.

"I wish I could see my girls," Jack sighs.

"I know. This isn't forever you know. Just until we nail Marku and his hired gun. Then you should go on vacation to Chicago. I'm sure the girls would love that," Viv says, trying to cheer him up.

"Yeah, sounds good," Jack replies, laying his head back and looking up to the ceiling, trying to hide the tears welling in his eyes. He missed his kids so much, since they moved to Chicago with their mother. He had immersed himself in the job after the divorce, but nothing filled the void left by his children. Viv and Jack spent most of that day talking and watching cheesy quiz shows on the t.v. Vivienne left shortly after 6pm and promised to return in the morning.

When Viv did return the next morning, Jack's bed was empty. She was extremely concerned when she enquired at the nurse's station.

"I'm looking for Michael Harris. He's not in his room," she asks.

"Mr. Harris? Oh yes, he's gone for some physical therapy. He should be back soon," the nurse tells her.

Viv was relieved as she returned to Jack's room. It wasn't long before Jack was wheeled back into the room by an orderly.

"How'd it go?" Viv enquired.

"Painful," Jack said, as the orderly helped him back onto the bed. "They want me to do all these breathing exercises. My chest is on fire right now."

"You know what they say, no pain no gain," Viv tells him without sympathy.

"Thanks for that insight, Viv," Jack replies sarcastically. "Any news on the case?" he asks, changing the subject.

"None that I've been told. They're watching him and forensics are trying to see if they can link shell casings found at the scene, to Marku or any of his goons."

Jack is lying on the bed with his head back on the pillows, trying hard to listen, but struggling to stay awake. Viv notices this and decided to give him some space.

"Jack, I have to go. You get some rest. I'll be back later," she promises.

"Okay, see you then," Jack says before closing his eyes.

------------------------------

That evening, Mike Travers is in Van Doren's office. She's been enquiring about his investigation into Jack's shooting.

"So far, there's little evidence to tie Marku to the shooting. We've been sitting on him, waiting to see if there's a pay-off to the shooter. Nothing even slightly suspicious so far. We can't bring him in," Travers admits.

"What makes you think the pay-off hasn't been made yet?" Van Doren asks.

"We don't know for sure, but most of these hit jobs are half the cash now and half after the target is confirmed dead. If Marku is stalling on paying up, it could be that he's not convinced that Jack is dead," Travers explains.

"Shit! There's no way he could know, is there?" Paula asks.

"I've no idea. He's probably just waiting for the heat to die down before paying anyone,"

"Let's hope so," Van Doren sighs.

-------------------------

The next morning, Vivienne is over early to the hospital. She hangs around outside Jack's room for a while, watching the to-ing and fro-ing of staff. As she sat outside the room, Jack's doctor enters his room on their rounds. When they re-emerge, Vivienne introduces herself and enquires on his progress.

"He's doing remarkably well, considering the surgery he underwent. It will be a while before he's one hundred percent but he was lucky. Another couple of centimetres lower and he wouldn't have make it to the hospital," he informs her.

"How long will he need to stay, Doctor?" Viv asks.

"A week, maybe more. We'll review things then and see how his lung function is. He should be well enough to go home soon after that," he answers.

"Thank you, Doctor," Viv says, as she turns to enter Jack's room.

"Hi, Jack. The doctor tells me you're doing much better. How do you feel?" she enquires.

"Not too bad. What are you doing here? Things quiet at work?" Jack asks.

"As a matter of fact, Van Doren gave me some time off….to help me deal with the trauma of your death," she tells him, clearing her throat theatrically.

"That was nice of her," Jack sneers.

"It's the least she could do after putting me in this position. So now I can visit you anytime," Viv smiles.

"Great. Well one visitor is better than none I guess," Jack moans.

"Gee, thanks," Viv replies, feigning indignity.

The conversation continues this way for a while. Towards lunchtime, Vivienne decides to go out for coffee. Jack asks for her to bring him back a doughnut. On her way to the elevator, she overhears a man ask a passing nurse for directions to Michael Harris' room. Thankfully, the nurse has no idea and refers him to the nurses station, the other end of the hall. Vivienne is alarmed immediately and returns to Jack straight away.

"That was quick," Jack quips, surprised at her return.

Vivienne grabs the wheelchair from behind the door.

"Get in. We've got trouble," she orders, as she pulls back the sheets and helps Jack out of the bed. Jack winces at the sudden movement.

"What's going on?" he asks as he sits into the wheelchair.

"Your brother has just turned up to visit," she tells him.

"But I don't have…." Jack stops as the realisation hits him.

"It's not safe here anymore. Come on," she says, grabbing what she can. She checks the corridor before quickly pushing Jack in the opposite direction to the nurse's station. Thankfully, the visitor is still waiting at the nurse's station for assistance.

"So where to?" Jack asks, somewhat puzzled.

"Not sure. We have to get you out of the hospital. I'll need to find you some clothes first," Viv tells him.

She grabs the elevator and goes down one floor. She pushes him along the corridor slowly, looking through doorways as she passes. She manages to find a linen room and borrows some doctor's scrubs for Jack to wear. As they leave the linen room, she checks a few other unoccupied rooms and helps herself to a man's overcoat. She helps Jack put his uninjured arm into one sleeve and drapes the other over his injured shoulder.

"We'll go to my car. We need to get you to a safe house. An I think we're gonna need some help," Viv tells him, as she takes out her cell phone and dials.

"Martin, it's Viv. I need your help," she says urgently.

"What's wrong, Viv?" he asks, gravely concerned by the tone of her voice.

"You need to listen carefully. Jack's alive…" Viv begins.

"What," Martin interjects, in disbelief.

"Just listen, please. He was under protection at the hospital under an assumed identity," she continues.

"I don't understand," Martin mutters.

"He's been compromised and I need to get him somewhere safe. I need help and I know I can trust you and the rest of the team. Can you meet me?"

"Of course, where?" Martin asks.

"My place, half an hour," Viv instructs him.

"I'll be there," Martin promises.

"And Martin, don't tell anyone else. We don't know who to trust," Viv warns before ending the call.

Viv and Jack reach Vivienne's car in the underground parking lot. She helps Jack out of the wheelchair and eases him into the passenger seat as gently as she can.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to go to your place?" Jack asks, not wanting to involve Vivienne's family.

"It's only temporary. I'll give you some of Marcus' clothes. Martin's meeting us there. Are you okay?" she asks as she starts the engine.

"I will be," he answers, as he shifts in the seat, trying to find the most comfortable position.

-------------------------------


	6. Chapter 6

**Across Town**

Marku is walking to his car, when his cell phone rings.

"He's gone," Olaf tells him.

"What do you mean 'he's gone'?" Marku demands, shouting into the phone.

"His room was empty. I waited, but he never came back. Nobody at the hospital could find him," Olaf tells him.

"Damn it. They've moved him. You'd better find him. I need him erased. No mistakes!" Marku orders.

"I need you to contact your source and get me a location. I'll do the rest," Olaf promises.

Marku cuts him off and calls his 'friend' in the bureau. He's not happy after his conversation with his source. He calls Olaf again and relays the conversation.

"No one knows where he is. I've been told he was moved without bureau knowledge. One of his team moved him," Marku tells him.

"Do you know who?" Olaf asks.

"Johnson, the black woman. Follow her, she's bound to lead you to him," Marku advises.

-------------------------

When they pull up outside Vivienne's apartment block, Martin's waiting outside. He approaches the car, a broad smile across his face.

"Jack, it's sure good to see you," he says, opening the passenger door.

"Thanks," Jack replies, the pain visible on his face as her tries to manoeuvre out of the car.

"Let me help," Martin offers, putting out his arm.

Jack smiles and gratefully places his hand on Martin's outstretched arm.

"Come on. Get inside quickly. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves," Viv says, trying to hurry the pair inside.

Jack struggles to climb the stairs to Viv's first floor apartment. He was breathless after climbing less than half the steps. He stopped to catch his breath. He realised then, how weak he still was. The exertion was showing. Perspiration rolled down his face and he was starting to see black spots in front of his eyes. Martin noticed him falter and quickly grabbed him before he stumbled. He placed Jack's uninjured arm around his neck and supported him the rest of the way up. As they entered the apartment, Viv directed the two men to one of the bedrooms.

"He should rest here for a while," Viv tells Martin, showing him into the spare bedroom.

"There you go. You get some rest," Martin tells Jack, as he lowers him to the bed and lifts his feet onto the mattress.

"Can I get you anything," Martin asks.

Jack shakes his head, still breathing heavily. Martin closes the door and joins Viv in the kitchen.

"Wow, Viv. What the hell is going on? I can't believe he's alive," Martin says, still amazed at the goings on.

"I know. I was under orders not to tell you. I thought my silence would ensure his safety. Now I know there's a leak in the department. How else could they know he's alive? There are very few people who know the truth. Someone's let it slip and now Marku knows," Viv explains her theory.

"Who else knows he's alive?" Martin asks.

" Van Doren, your father, Mike Travers and his team, a handful of hospital staff, Maria, that's pretty much it," Viv tells him.

"So you suspect an internal leak?" Martin asks.

"I can't be sure, but it would explain a lot," Viv answers.

"And who knows he's here now?" Martin enquires.

"Just you and I. I had to think fast. It was all I could think of at short notice," Viv explains.

"Should he be up and about yet?" Martin wonders, concerned by how weak he appears.

"Not really. You can see how weak he is. I'll get in touch with the surgeon at the hospital. He knows the score. I'll get him to prepare any medication and to give us a supply of dressings. We'll have to look after him ourselves for a while," Viv informs him.

"So what's the plan?" Martin asks.

"Jack needs to disappear for a while. We're going to need some more help to make this work. We'll have to ask Danny and Sam to help. Any idea where they are?" Viv asks.

"Last I heard, they were working on some leads on Marku," Martin tells her.

"I want you to arrange to meet them somewhere, outside the office. Explain what's going on. I'll put some things together and try and clear a few things with Van Doren.. I'll call you in a couple of hours. We'll let Jack sleep for now," Viv says, still trying to come up with a plan.

"Right. I'll call Danny and Sam. I'll talk to you later," Martin says, as he leaves Viv's apartment.

-------------------

Danny and Samantha were puzzled by Martin's request to meet at a diner several blocks from FBI headquarters. He's waiting in a booth when they arrive.

"Hey," Danny says as he slides in to the seat beside Martin. "Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?"

Samantha sits opposite the two guys.

"You won't believe what I'm about to tell you," Martin begins, looking nervously around to see who can hear him. Speaking in a low tone, he relays the day's events so far.

"Oh my God," Samantha utters in astonishment. "Is this all true?" she asks.

"I couldn't believe it either. But I've just left a somewhat weakened but alive Jack in Viv's apartment," Martin tells them.

"But the surgeon said…" Sam utter, trying to make sense of it all.

"He survived the surgery. But the powers that be wanted us and everyone else to think Jack was dead. Viv was in on it from the start. She went along with it because it was for his protection, but now the cover's been blown. Some guy turned up at the hospital so Viv had to act fast and get him out of there. He knew what name Jack was being treated under and everything," Martin continues.

"I don't believe it. So he's okay?" Danny asks.

"He's pretty weak but for now he's okay. It's gonna be up to us to look after him for a while," Martin explains.

"Of course. What do you want us to do?" Danny asks.

"Find a quiet, out of the way motel and check in. Call me with the location and room number. You'll have to pay in cash so we can't be traced. I'll go back to Viv's place and help her move Jack. Don't talk to anyone about this," Martin warns.

----------------------

Meanwhile, Vivienne phones Van Doren's office.

"Hi. Paula?" she asks.

"Agent Johnson? Where the hell are you? Please tell me Malone's with you," Van Doren demands.

"He is. They knew where he was Paula. They came looking for him," Viv tells her.

"What do you mean? How could they?" Van Doren asks.

"They knew he was under the name Michael Harris. They had to get that information from the bureau. I couldn't risk sticking around. So I've moved Jack, but I need you to do something for me," Viv asks.

"Sure. Where are you?" Van Doren enquires.

"I'd rather not say over the phone. The way I figure it, the leak is internal, so right now I don't know who to trust. I need you to contact Dr. Goldman and ask him to prepare a package of Jack's medication and some dressings. I'll get them picked up later," Viv tells her.

"Are you sure you can do this alone, Vivienne?" Van Doren asks with concern.

"I'm not alone," Viv replies.

After she hangs up, Viv calls Martin and instructs him to go to the hospital and pick up the package before returning to the apartment. When Martin returns, Jack is sleeping. Viv asks how the meeting went with Sam and Danny. Martin tells her of their relief, finding out Jack was alive and of their eagerness to help. Vivienne had packed some things in a sports bag for herself and some of Marcus clothes for Jack. She leaves a note for Marcus and Reggie half explaining what was happening and telling them not to worry.

A short time later Martin's phone rings. It's Danny.

"We've got a room. It's The Liberty Motel out near the airport. Room 17," he tells him.

"Good. We'll leave soon. See you in a while," Martin says before hanging up. "We're ready," he says turning to Viv.

"I'll wake Jack," Viv says, making her way to the bedroom.

"Jack," she says softly.

"I'm awake," Jack replies.

"We have to go now, Jack. We've arranged a room in a motel Sam and Danny are there already. Put these clothes on," she says, handing him some jeans and shirt belonging to Marcus.

"Thanks," he says. "I might need a little help with these," he admits, a little embarrassed.

"Yeah, sorry, I'll get Martin for you," she smiles, a bit embarrassed herself.

Martin helps Jack dress and slowly helps him down the stairs and out to the car. Viv carries the bags out. Jack winces in discomfort as he sits into the passenger seat of the car. Martin drives and Vivienne sits in the rear.

The journey takes about 45 minutes. Martin is conscious of being followed and nervously checks his rear view mirror every couple of minutes. There is little conversation in the car. Jack sits with his head back and his eyes closed, dozing peacefully. Vivienne is going through, in her mind, what she will have to do for the next while. She feels guilty for leaving her husband and son at such short notice.

When they arrive at the motel, Viv knocks on the door, before looking around to check if the coast is clear. Danny answers the door.

"Any problems?" Viv asks as she enters the room.

"No, everything's organised," he tells her.

"This is nice!" Viv says sarcastically, looking around at the sparse furnishings.

"It's the best we could do on short notice. We've paid cash to cover the next week," Sam informs her.

"Good. We'll bring Jack in and put him to bed. He's exhausted. Martin collected his medication and other supplies. We'll have to dress his wound and make him as comfortable as we can," Viv tells her, as she signals to Martin to help Jack in.

Martin struggles getting Jack out of the car. Awkwardly, he supports Jack's weight, as they walk to the door. Martin is grateful that they're on the ground floor. Jack is greeted by massive smiles from Samantha and Danny. Samantha barely manages to stop herself from throwing her arms around and kissing him passionately. She only notices how weak Jack is when he sits on the bed. He is ashen faced and exhausted from the effort of walking. He sits, shoulders hunched and head down, breathing deeply.

"It's good to see you, Jack," Danny says, breaking the silence.

"You too," Jack replies somewhat out of breath. The expression on his face tells them that he is in some discomfort.

"Can we get you anything?" Samantha asks, assuming the mothering role.

"I'm okay thanks," he replies, trying to lift his feet onto the bed. Sam notices this and is quick to help him. She puts pillows behind him and removes his shoes. He relaxes against the pillows.

"Your bleeding!" a worried Sam notices.

"Am I? I'll be fine," Jack tells her.

"Let me have a look," Sam asks.

"No, really, I'm okay," Jack repeats.

"Don't be so stubborn, Jack. Sit back and I'll re-dress it for you," Samantha insists, gently removing his shirt. She takes a scissors from the pack that Martin had collected and begins cutting away the bandages and dressings, gently and carefully.

Jack holds his breath, waiting for the pain to kick in. As Sam removes the dressing, she is momentarily taken aback. The entry wound on Jack's back, just below his shoulder, looks pretty harmless. The exit wound through his chest, almost under his arm, looks raw and angry. Blood is seeping through the sutures. She meticulously cleans it and carefully re-dresses the wound.

Once the process is complete, Jack lays back against the pillows. He thanks Sam and takes the medication and painkillers she hands him. It doesn't take long for Jack to doze off.


	7. Chapter 7

While Jack sleeps, the rest of the team discuss the best way to approach Jack's protection. Each has their own suggestion but they finally agree that if they watch him in pairs and take shifts in doing so. In between, they will try and spend time at the office, using all the resources available to them to prove Marku is linked to the attempt on Jack's life.

Vivienne's biggest concern is keeping Jack's whereabouts a secret. That means not even disclosing it to anyone within the F.B.I. She tells them of her suspicions of a leak within the bureau. They each vow to be extra vigilant and cautious. They were to take extra precautions when coming to the motel, to ensure that they aren't followed. They also had to keep up the pretence that Jack had just died and act accordingly. Each agrees to keep up the deception as long as necessary.

Samantha and Martin take the first shift at the motel. Vivienne and Danny head back to the office to do some investigating. When she gets there, Viv also talks to the sketch artist and is finally able to show Danny and Travers a sketch of the man who was looking for Jack at the hospital. When she returns to her desk, there's a message from Van Doren to call up to her office. It's late when she gets there.

"You know where he is? Is it safe?" Paula enquires.

"Yes, for now," Viv informs her, not divulging much.

"Look, I don't want to know where he is. The more I think about it, the more I think you're right. Very few people know he's still alive. It had to be leaked. I'll give you whatever help you need to do this," Van Doren promises.

"Thank you," Viv replies.

"No, thank you. I know you and the rest of the team will look out for him. Is there anything you need?" she asks.

"We could do with access to the information that Travers has," Viv tells her.

"I'll see what I can do. How is Jack coping?" Paula wonders.

"Very weak and frustrated at his incapacity," Viv informs her.

"What a combination! I can just imagine," she smiles, imagining a gruff and cranky agent.

----------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, back in the motel room, Martin and Sam are chatting as they drink coffee and eat cookies that they had bought earlier.

"Marku, I can't remember him," Sam admits.

"The Jordano case. The kid witnessed a shooting and the family went on the run. They had to go into witness protection in the end. According to Danny, Jack took the case a bit personally, got into it with Marku," Martin tells her.

"I remember, vaguely," Sam replies.

"Viv's bringing a photo of Marku and the sketch of the guy from the hospital. That should help," Martin says.

"Good. At least we'll know who to watch out for!" Sam says, looking over at the sleeping figure. The painkillers must be strong, she presumed, because Jack appeared to be in a very deep sleep.

"Is he going to be OK?" she asks Martin.

"I hope so. He really shouldn't be out of hospital yet, there's still a risk of infection, the doctor told me," Martin explained.

"Right. We'll keep a close eye on his temperature then," Sam replies, watching the sleeping figure.

"We have the antibiotics in the package from the hospital. Don't worry, Sam, if he takes a turn for the worst, we'll get him straight to a hospital," Martin reassured her.

"I can't help worrying. The sooner we sort this whole situation out the better," she sighed.

Later that night, Viv and Danny leave F.B.I. Headquarters together. They are on their way to relieve Martin and Sam for the night. They deliberately take an indirect route to the motel, taking odd turns and sudden directional changes to try and see if they are being followed. It's not long before Danny pipes up -

"Green sedan, two cars back. It's been there since we left the office,"

"I see it. Let's be sure," Viv suggests, as she pushes the accelerator and speed up. She takes a sudden left and an almost immediate right into an alleyway. She stops the car and turns off the lights. It's not long before the sedan appears, driving slowly, looking for them. Thankfully, they don't see them and drive on past.

Viv restarts the car and cautiously pulls out of the alley. Danny radios in a description of the car and the partial plate that he had seen. Viv followed the sedan at a safe distance for a short while until it pulled up outside a Seven Eleven. She was hoping that the driver would lead them to Marku. Unfortunately he didn't. He entered the store and not long after, the lights came on in the upstairs apartment. They waited around for a while. He never left the building so they noted the address and then proceeded to the motel.

When they get there they tell Sam and Martin about being followed and warned them to be extra vigilant. Jack lies awake in the bed, and hears their whispering.

"There's no need to whisper. I'm awake," he says. "What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing really," Danny replies unconvincingly.

"I wasn't born yesterday, now what's happened?" Jack insists.

"Danny and I were followed when we left the office. We managed to lose him but I doubt if they'll give up that easily," Viv tells him.

"Look, you don't have to hide things from me. I know the situation and I appreciate what you're doing," Jack says, trying to acknowledge the risks they are taking.

Nothing much else is said. Sam and Martin leave for the night. For the remainder of the night, Danny watches anxiously through the window, each time a car pulls in to the parking lot. It was going to be a long night.

Next morning, Sam and Martin arrive early to sit with Jack. They bring coffee and bagels to the others. Sam is pleased to see Jack sitting up in bed and hungry. After a breakfast of bagels and coffee, Danny and Viv head to work.

They find Mike Travers and they tell him about what had happened the night before. Travers agrees to get a search warrant for the flat above the Seven Eleven. When the search warrant comes through, Travers allows Danny and Viv to tag along. When they arrive, there's no one home. They break in the door. The place is small and sparse. It smells of damp and garbage. They search each of the 4 rooms. Travers is called to the kitchen by one of his team.

"Well look here," he says as he is shown the contents of a silver/grey hard covered case. "We may just have found our shooter."

He orders the weapon be taken to forensics and ballistics for testing. Vivienne and Danny head back downstairs to question the shop owner about his tenant.

"What can you tell us about the guy who lives upstairs?" Danny asks.

"Not much. He's only been here for a couple of weeks. He keeps to himself. I think he's Scandanavian or Russian. I don't see much of him. He's out by early morning and doesn't get back until late most nights," he tells them.

"Do you know if he has a job?" Viv asks.

"He told me he was working at the docks. I didn't ask where," the shopkeeper told them.

"Have you ever seen this man?" Danny asks, showing him a photo of Marku.

"Nope," he replies confidently.

"That camera, does it work?" Danny asks, referring to the surveillance camera above the cashier's desk.

"Yeah," the shopkeeper nods.

"Can we have a look at last nights tapes?" Viv wonders.

"Sure, they're out back. I'll show you," he replies, as he directs them into a store room at the rear of the shop. He gives them the tapes and they thank him for his help, before leaving.

Back at the office, the techs pull a pretty clear of their guy picture from the store tape. They run it through a national database but cannot find a match. They then try the Interpol database. One name pops up, Olaf Pederov, a former Ukranian soldier with known links to the Albanian mafia, and wanted in connection with the murder of several high profile people in Eastern Europe.

"This has to be our guy," Danny announces.

"I think you're right. Looks like the guy from the hospital. I'm pretty sure our friend Marku also has ties to the Albanian mafia," Viv remembers.

"Now that you mention it, I remember talk of his mafia ties during the Jordano case," Danny says.

"Even if this is our guy and Marku is paying for the job, why does he want Jack dead?" Viv asks.

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should pay Mr. Marku a visit," Danny suggests.

"OK. I'll let Travers know," Viv says, before picking up the phone.

"So where to first?" Danny asks, as he sits into the driver's seat.

"Try the Auto Shop first," Viv suggests.

They had a number of different business addresses for Marku. He had interests in several dubious operations. They pulled up outside the Auto Shop and walk inside the work-shop. Danny approaches one of the mechanics who is working on an engine.

"I need to see Sadiq," Danny says too him. "Is he here?"

"Who wants to know?" the mechanic asks.

"F.B.I.," Danny says, pulling out his credentials and shoving them in his face.

"He's not here," the guy replies and puts his head back under the hood of the car.

"Then you won't mind if we have a look for ourselves," Viv says to him.

The mechanic doesn't reply or even look up from the car. Danny and Viv take a walk around but, besides a handful of mechanics, there was no one else around. As they returned to the car, Danny asks Viv "Where next?"

"The Blue Moon Club," she replies.

As they drive off, the mechanic is quick to go to the office and makes a phone call to Marku. He tips him off that he's about to receive a visit. Marku decides to arrange a welcome for the agents.

Danny and Viv park close to the Blue Moon Club. It late in the evening by now and darkness is descending. As they walk through the parking lot they notice a group of men watching them. They nervously continue towards the club. One of the men approaches them and stands in front of them, blocking their way.

"This is a member's only club," the man says, trying to intimidate them.

"Here's my membership card," Danny says cockily, flashing his I.D. The man in front nods to the group behind, and before they have time to react, Viv is grabbed from behind in an arm lock. Danny is punched in the kidneys and floored. By now, there are five 'heavies' manhandling the two agents into a dark alleyway at the side of the club. There, they disarm the two agents.

"We are Federal Officers. What do you want?" Viv says venomously.

"You're going to tell me where you've taken Jack Malone," the intimidating one replies.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Jack Malone is dead," Viv answers.

"Wrong answer," the guy replies and then hits Danny in the face with the butt of his own pistol. Danny is held up by two of the men. He spits blood from his mouth as he utters several expletives.

"I'll ask you nicely once more, where is he?" he asks menacingly, as he leans in close to Viv's face. She swallows hard as he trails the barrel of Danny's gun along her temple.

"I've told you already. He died three days ago. We're here investigating his murder," Viv insists.

Her interrogator shakes his head in mock despair. This signals an onslaught of blows to her partner's torso and head.

"No, please stop, you'll kill him," she pleads.

"Look sister, if you won't tell us where he is, we'll have to give you a message for him," he tells her, before pistol-whipping her. She slumps to the ground, unconscious. A van pulls up and the two injured agents are thrown into the back. They are driven to the E.R. and dumped from the van. Hospital staff and bystanders are shocked at what they witness. Vivienne was already conscious when she was thrown from the side door of the van. As she hits the ground she injures her hip, but is not seriously injured. Danny is still unconscious when he hits the ground. Vivienne crawls over to him and calls out for help. It doesn't take long before a number of hospital staff surrounds the stricken agents.

"Is he going to be alright?" Viv asks, more concerned for Danny than for herself.

"We need to get him inside and examine him and get someone to look you over," the nurse tells her.

Viv searches for her cell phone and is relieved to find that it's still in her pocket.

Back at the motel, Martin and Jack are watching t.v. when Martin's phone rings.

"Fitzgerald," he answers.

"Martin, it's Viv," she replies.

"Where are you? We were expecting you an hour ago. Jack's getting grumpy from hunger," he jokes, smiling over at Jack. Jack glares back at him.

"I'm at the hospital. Danny and I were jumped by a group of Marku's goons. They beat Danny up pretty badly," Vivienne explains.

"Is he alright?" Martin asks. The question causes Jack to turn his attention to Martin and the phone call.

"He's still unconscious. They're examining him now. Martin, they know Jack's alive," she tells him.

"What?!" he exclaims.

"I don't know how, but they do. Attacking us was supposed to send a signal to Jack. Don't tell him what's happened, okay? Not yet," she asks.

"Sure," Martin replies, looking at Jack's enquiring expression. He knows there is something after happening.

"I'll stay with Danny tonight. Will you guys be okay for another night?" she wonders.

"Yeah. Everything's fine here. We'll see you tomorrow then?" Martin says, trying to act as though there was nothing wrong. He hangs up. Almost immediately Jack asks,

"Everything O.K?"

"Yeah. Just Viv and Danny won't be coming over tonight. Em, Danny had a little accident at work and ended up in the E.R.," Martin lied.

"What kind of accident?" Jack asks curiously.

"According to Viv, he, eh, slipped in the men's room and cracked his head off the sink. Ended up with a concussion," Martin explains.

"Jeez, it could only happen to Taylor," Jack comments, shaking his head slowly. "So I guess it's just us for the night. Have to order out then! Italian or Chinese food?"

"Chinese," Martin answers, trying to hide the worry he was feeling for his friend.


	8. Chapter 8

Back at the hospital Viv is waiting outside the Trauma Room when a nurse calls her.

"Agent Johnson, he's waking up."

"Thanks," she replies, before walking in to the room. The young agent is stripped to the waist and lying, slightly raised on the bed. One eye is swollen shut, the other has a large gash near his eyebrow, in need of stitching. His chest and abdomen are an accumulation of different shades of red and purple. His elbow and cheek are grazed, presumably from when he was dumped from the van.

"Hey, Danny, how are you feeling?" she asks the shaken young man.

"Pretty rough. Are you okay?" he asks, as he notices her slight limp.

"I'm fine. A lump on the head and a sore hip, I'll live," she tells him.

The nurse returns with X-Rays and hands them to one of the doctors, who examines them before approaching the patient.

"X-Rays show you have no facial or cranial fractures, so it's just mainly bruising. You do, however, have 2 fractured ribs, which will be quite painful. You are slightly concussed so we'll be keeping you in overnight for observation," the doctor tells him.

--------------------------

Back at the motel, later that night, Jack decides he's had enough for the day and goes to bed. He leaves Martin to clean up the take out cartons. Once Jack's gone to bed, Martin takes the opportunity to call Sam and tell her what had happened to Viv and Danny. Although trying to be discreet, he is unaware that Jack can hear every syllable of his conversation. He lies there awake, quietly listening to the details of the attack and the injuries to his agents. Anger rises inside of him. He is annoyed with Martin who chose to lie to him, but he is brimming with anger towards Marku. He could understand that the team were trying not to worry him, but what did they expect? He was bound to hear sooner or later. Jack knew Marku and he knew that attacking his agents was a message to him. Anyone who got in his way would be removed. Jack knew he couldn't risk any of his team getting killed trying to protect him. He wasn't left with many options. He would have to get to Marku, before Marku got to him. He decided to rest well that night, because the next day, he had work to do.

The next morning, Jack woke early. With some difficulty, he pulled on some jeans and a sweatshirt. He made light conversation with Martin and turned on the t.v. He sat in a wooden chair near the t.v. and watched the morning news. Leaving Jack watching the news, Martin decided to take a shower to freshen up. Jack realised this was his opportunity. He quietly stood up and rummaged around the room. He grabbed his painkillers and Martin's cell phone. He also helped himself to Martin's side arm and some money from Martin's wallet. He gently closes the motel room door behind him and walks a couple of hundred metres and hails a cab. He asks the driver to take him to Marku's club.

Martin emerges from the bathroom feeling refreshed and is surprised to find the room empty. Panic rises in his gut.

"Jack?" he calls as he opens the door and looks around the parking lot. There's no sign of him. He rushes back inside to find his cell phone. He soon realises that its missing. The he sees the empty holster and realises what has happened.

"Shit, Jack! What are you playing at?" he shouts in frustration, pushing the chair aside. He grabs his jacket and runs to the motel payphone. He decides to call Vivienne first.

"Tell me this is a joke, Martin," Viv pleads.

"I wish. I think he's going after Marku," Martin presumes.

"He's hardly able to stand, Martin. He'll get himself killed," Viv says helplessly.

"We have to find him. I'm going to head to the office and get tech support to try and track my cell. Might help us get a location," Martin offers.

"Good idea. Also, ask Sam to phone him. He might just listen to her. She might be able to make him see sense," Viv suggests.

Martin does as Vivienne suggests and calls Samantha. She's surprised by Jack's actions and worried beyond words. She agrees to try and talk to him. She calls Martin's cell phone several times, but it rings out each time. She's about to give up when Jack finally answers it.

"Jack, it's me. What the hell are you doing?" Sam demands furiously.

"I need to talk to Marku," Jack replies calmly.

"Are you out of your mind? He's trying to kill you and you want to walk up to him and have a chat?" Sam says incredulously.

"I know what he did to Danny. I heard Martin telling you last night. He's not going to get away with it," he says.

"You're in no fit state to be looking for a fight, Jack. Tell me where you are and I'll come and pick you up," Sam suggests.

"No, it's me he wants, Sam and I can't risk any of you getting in his way. Don't worry, I won't go down without a fight," Jack replies.

"Jack, please. Tell me where you are! Jack!" Sam pleads.

"I have to go," is all he says before hanging up.

Sam feels sick to her stomach, wondering if that would be the last conversation she'd ever have with Jack.

-----------------

Jack puts the cell phone in his jeans pocket. He's now standing on the sidewalk opposite The Blue Moon strip club. The parking lot is almost empty, not surprising for this time of the morning. He stands for a while, watching for any activity. Nothing moves. The club is closed. He crosses the street and walks around the back of the club. Feeling slightly light headed, he decides it might be best to sit for a while. He finds a spot behind a dumpster, close to the side door of the club but out of sight. It's a bit chilly, sitting, waiting, but he's thankful that it's dry, at least. He leans his head back against the wall and shuts his eyes.

He wakes with a start, at the sound of a SUV pulling up close to the door. He has no idea how long he's been there. He must have fallen asleep. A tall, strawberry blonde man alights the vehicle. His head is down as he fiddles with a large bunch of keys in his hand. He approaches the door and attempts to open it. Slowly and painfully, Jack gets to his feet, unnoticed by Marku. He sneaks quietly up to him and shoves the barrel of the pistol in to the small of Marku's back. Marku instinctively straightens up with shock and stretches out his hands.

"Against the wall," Jack orders with a husky voice. Marku complies and places his hands against the wall. Jack pats him down, searching for weapons. He removes a 9mm from Marku's shoulder holster and sticks it down the waistband of his jeans.

"Turn around," Jack orders. Marku is visibly surprised when he sees who his assailant is.

"Jack Malone! You look good for a dead man," he says sarcastically.

"No thanks to you," Jack replies, pointing the gun threateningly in Marku's face.

"I don't know what your talking about, Agent Malone. So, what can I do for you today?" he asks cheekily.

"I want you to leave my agents alone," Jack warns.

"Why, I never laid a finger on any of your agents," Marku claims.

"Sure you didn't," Jack remarks. "But your guys got a bit rough, you see. We need to settle this, you and I. Why don't we take a little drive, somewhere a little less public".

"I'm flattered, but you're not really my type," Marku quips.

"Get in the car," Jack tells him, feigning a smile as he ushers Marku into the driver's seat.

"Now, don't try and be a smart ass. I will kill you. After all, what have I got to lose. You see, I don't exist, I'm officially dead and you can't send a dead man to jail. So be a good boy and we'll get along fine," Jack warns, as he climbs in to the passenger seat and positions his weapon close to Marku's side and orders him to drive on.

"So, where do you want to go, Jack?" he asks.

"I know a quiet place, down by the docks. It's nice and secluded. We won't have any interruptions. I'll direct you when we get closer," Jack tells him.

Just then the phone in Jack's pocket rings. Jack ignores it. After a minute, it rings again. Jack removes it from his pocket and looks at the number coming up.

"Aren't you gonna answer that?" Marku wonders.

"Probably should. It's work," Jack replies. "Yeah," he says, finally answering it. "Travers? What do you want?" Jack asks, not too happy to hear him.

"What the fuck are you playing at, Malone? One of my agents reports seeing Marku being bundled into his car at gun-point by an, as yet, unidentified male. Tell me it's not you, Malone," Travers begs.

"No, I didn't bundle him in, in fact I was very polite," Jack retorts smartly.

"Don't get smart with me, Malone. Where are you taking him? What are you trying to prove?" Travers asks.

"I'm going to get some answers the old fashioned way," Jack replies.

"Don't be an idiot, Jack. You know, as well as I do, that nothing you get under duress is admissible in court," Travers reminds him.

"I'm not expecting to be making it to court," Jack cryptically replies. "Can't talk now," he says, before disconnecting the call.

"You should listen to your friend," Marku says, unexpectedly.

"Shut up and drive," Jack says, digging the gun into his ribs. It's not long before they are driving through rows of warehousing, towards the docks. Jack notices that they are being followed at a distance, but says nothing. He continues to give Marku directions.

------------------

Meanwhile, Martin and Vivienne get a call from a very agitated Mike Travers. He fills them in on his conversation with Jack and provides them with a last known location.

"One of my guys is tailing them right now. They're entering the warehousing down near the piers," he tells them.

"Right, thanks. We can be there in 10 minutes," Martin informs him.

"Look, he's answering your cell. You should call him and try and get him to give it up, before someone gets hurt," Travers advises.

"Okay, we'll try again," he says, before relaying the conversation to Vivienne, as they walk to the car.

"I don't know. He can be pig headed when he wants to be," Viv says, shaking her head, before dialing the phone. As she does so, Martin starts the car and drives towards the dock area.

The phone rings again. Jack sees it's Viv and decides to answer.

"Jack, it's Viv," she says, when he answers.

"Hi, Vivienne. Now's not a good time," Jack answers.

"Jack, you don't have to do this alone. Let us help," she pleads.

"Danny's already in the hospital because of me, I can't risk any more of you guys getting hurt. It's me he wants, so I was just going to try and even the playing field, just him and me. One of us will walk away. Either way, it ends," Jack tells her.

"Jack, you don't have to do this, please," Viv tells him.

"I don't see any other option," he replies, and then hangs up.

"Jack! Jack!" Viv shouts. "Damn it, he hung up," she tells Martin.

"Let's get down there before he gets himself killed," Martin says, as he pushes on the gas pedal and switches on the siren.


	9. Chapter 9

"Slow down," Jack orders Marku, when he notices they are driving dangerously fast through such a narrow area.

"Tell me where we're going," Marku demands, glaring at Jack.

"Just up ahead, you can slow down," he replies, motioning towards a badly lit area, close to an empty warehouse.

Just then Jack is startled by a NYPD patrol car, which is driving towards them with lights flashing, though still some distance off. Marku notices Jack's reaction and takes the opportunity to capitalise on his lapse in concentration. He floors the gas pedal and the vehicle picks up speed quickly.

"Slow down," Jack shouts as the SUV hurtles towards the water's edge. "You'll kill us both," he shouts as he pokes Marku's side with the gun.

Marku turns and gives a wry smile as the vehicle launches off the pier and into the darkness. As it hits the water, both occupants are thrown violently forward and are slammed against the dashboard. Marku is stunned momentarily but Jack is knocked unconscious. The vehicle starts to fill with water and quickly sinks.

An officer in the patrol car radios in what he's just witnessed and requests back up and a paramedic unit. Martin and Viv hear the call on the radio, just as the flashing lights come into view.

"Over there," Viv says pointing, as if Martin hadn't seen the lights.

Their car skids to a halt. One police officer stands peering down into the murky water, watching for any survivors. He throws the lifebuoy, just as Martin approaches him. Martin's heart sinks when he sees the lifebuoy was meant for Marku. The officer struggles to help Marku out of the water. Martin automatically lends a hand to pull him out. As Marku clambers out and begins to catch his breath, Martin grabs him by his shirt and demands,

"Where's Jack? Did he get out?"

"I don't know. I don't think so," Marku tells him.

Immediately, Martin removes his jacket and shoes and jumps, feet first into the water.

-------------------------------

Down, below the surface, the cold water reaches Jack's face and he is jolted back to consciousness. He attempts to open the car door, but with his weakened state and with the pressure of the water outside, he finds it impossible. He takes one final deep breath before the air pocket disappears. He leans toward the open door on the driver side in an attempt to get out. He desperately tries to escape but realises that his foot is caught under the seat. His lungs are bursting now, crying out for him to exhale and take another breath. He knows if he does, it will be his last. He realises this is it. With the realisation a great peace descends upon him and he resigns himself to the fact that his time is up. He'd already cheated death once this week. He'd had his second chance, he knew it would be greedy to expect a third. Slowly, he exhaled and relaxed his body. It was quiet. He felt no pain as darkness descended.

On the surface, the cold water momentarily takes Martin's breath away as he plunges under water. He surfaces to take a deep breath and disappears below the surface. The water is murky and visibility is very poor. It takes him a while to locate the car. With bursting lungs, he breaks the surface again to take another breath. He can hear Vivienne shouting at him to be careful.

He goes under again and peers in through the windscreen of the car. He sees Jack's lifeless body still in the passenger seat. He pulls violently at the door and is relieved when it opens at first asking. He grabs Jack by his clothing and tries to get him out of the car. He realises that his foot is trapped. He reaches down and manages to get his shoe off and release his foot. Then he kicks frantically for the surface. As he breaks the surface, he manoeuvres Jacks body to the surface and pulls his head close to his own and listens for breath sounds. There aren't any.

"He's not breathing," he shouts to the shore. As he swims closer to the dock, he gets under Jack's body in an effort to raise him enough, so that the police officers can haul him from the water. They lay him flat on his back. The paramedics, who had only just arrived, begin working on him immediately. Martin is helped out of the water by the police officers. MArtin stands quietly shovering, watching the paramedics work on Jack. Viv brings him a rug from their car to put around his shoulders and comforts him.

They watch helplessly as the paramedics give Jack the 'kiss of life' and try to force the water out of his lungs. Vivienne says a silent prayer. It doesn't take long before her prayers are answered and Jack begins to cough violently and to bring up the water from his lungs. He is rolled onto his side and placed in the recovery position. The paramedics waste no time in getting Jack into the ambulance and transporting him to hospital. Marku is also taken to the hospital under police escort.

-----------------------

While following the ambulance on it's journey, Vivienne takes the opportunity to call Paula Van Doren. She explains the night's events. Paula is livid that she hadn't been informed of Jack's disappearance earlier and even more annoyed by Jack's actions. Loyal as ever, Viv does her best to defend her boss. Van Doren rants that he's probably blown any chance of a conviction and scuppered Travers' investigation. The hit man has probably been spooked and skipped town by now. Heads were gonna roll, that was for sure.

Eventually Viv is able to get off the phone, just as she pulls in at the E.R. She then quickly phones Sam and tells her to get over to the hospital.

Once Jack is brought in to the Emergency Room, he is treated immediately. When he regains consciousness, he is confused and disorientated. As doctor's attempt to treat him, he becomes agitated and Martin is asked to step in to try and talk to him and relax him. Viv waits outside. Martin, still in his wet clothes, explains to Jack what had happened. The doctor's treating Jack are surprised to see the recent gunshot wound and ask Martin about it. He explains to them that this is Jack's second trip to the E.R. in a week. The wound is obviously still causing Jack a lot of discomfort and they administer analgesia for the pain. They also suture a wound just below his hairline, caused by the impact with the dashboard.

A pretty nurse, comes in and hands Martin a set of hospital scrubs, so that he can change out of the wet clothes. Martin accepts them with a flirtatious smile. When Martin has changed and returns to the exam room, he asks the doctor, whether Jack is going to be OK.

"He should be fine. He'll be admitted and kept under observation for 24 hours. He inhaled a lot of dirty water so he'll need to be monitored for a while. Other than that, he really just needs lots of rest," the doctor tells him.

"Thank you, Doctor," Martin says, relieved by the good news. He finds Vivienne, near the entrance and tells her the news.

"That's great," she smiles. "What a day!"

"Yep! And it's not over yet. Any idea when we can talk to Marku?" Martin asks.

"They're still checking him over. We should be able to take him into custody after that," Viv tells him.

As they are talking, a breathless Samantha bursts through the doors of the Emergency Room.

"Woah!," Martin exclaims. "Take it easy."

"Where is he? Is he OK?" she asks, not even trying to hide her concern.

"Calm down, Sam," Martin says. "He's going to be fine. He's in the exam room down the hall, third door on your left."

"Is it OK to go in?" she asks.

"Yeah. He's a bit groggy. We're going to hang around here so we can question Marku when the doctors give the go ahead," Martin tells her.

"Good. By the way, did anyone tell Danny yet?" Sam asks.

"No, haven't had the chance," Viv replies.

"Don't worry. I'll call up to see him after I see Jack," Sam promises.

Sam enters the room where Jack is being treated. There's a nurse standing over him. She sees Sam skulking at the door and beckons her over.

"He's feeling better now, aren't you, Jack?" she tells Sam, as she adjusts the oxygen mask on his face.

Jack nods in agreement, stifling another cough. The nurse leaves the two of them alone. Sam approaches the bed. She is battling her emotions. Relief and rage course through her.

"Jesus, Jack, what were you trying to do? Of all the stupid...," she begins, before he interrupts.

"I thought if I…." he tries to explain.

"No, Jack, you didn't think. You didn't think at all," Sam says angrily, shaking her head and cutting him off mid sentence. She was fuming that he tried to sort this out alone. His blatant disregard for his own life left her bemused. Tears welled in her eyes and she turned away, hoping that he wouldn't notice.

"God!" she vents in frustration. "I just don't get you, Jack."

"I'm sorry," is all Jack says, as he reaches to take her hand. Sam doesn't pull away. She turns and allows him see the tears on her face.

"Come here," he says, as he gently pulls her closer. She leans down and places her head on his shoulder. He hugs her as best he can with one arm.

Down the corridor, Vivienne and Martin are eventually allowed in to speak with Marku. He's sitting up in bed. He smiles defiantly as they enter.

"Hello Agents. What can I do for you?" he asks, feigning innocence.

"We'd like to ask you a few questions about the attempt on the life of Special Agent Jack Malone," Martin begins.

"Aah, yes. Jack Malone. How's he doing, by the way?" Marku asks sarcastically.

"You'll be delighted to know, he's going to make a full recovery," Viv tells him.

"Well, isn't that just great," Marku mocks.

"I'm touched by your concern," Martin replies, just as sarcastically. "Look, we know you hired Pederov to shoot Jack. We need to know where to find him."

"Never heard of him," Marku lies.

"Don't play games, Marku. Just tells us where he is," Viv demands.

"Couldn't tell you, even if I wanted to," he replies.

"Look, you smug bastard, you can co-operate or not. Frankly, I don't really care. One way or another, we'll find him and I've no doubt he'll be more than happy to spill his guts about your involvement," Martin says, grabbing Marku by the scruff of the neck.

"Whatever. Good luck with finding him though. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to my lawyer," Marku says, shaking Martin off. Martin turns and walks away.

"Come on, we're getting nowhere," Viv says, ushering Martin out of the room. "We'll arrange for a phone to be brought to you."

As they leave the room, Martin says to the police officer outside the door, "Keep an eye on him."

Viv and Martin return to see Jack and Sam. They tell them that they got nowhere talking to Marku.

"You can't talk to a gangster like that. They think they're untouchable," Jack comments. Samantha excuses herself to get some coffee from the vending machine down the hall and leaves the rest of them talking.

-------------------------------------------------------

Down the hall, the emergency alarm sounds from Markus room. The officer immediately runs in to see what was wrong. He was unaware that Marku lay in wait behind the door and as soon as he entered, he was knocked unconscious. He drags the officer behind the door and takes his weapon. Seconds later the emergency crash team rush through the door. They are surprised to find the bed empty and even more surprised to see an armed patient waiting for them. He ushers them to the other side of the room and orders them to pull the curtain around the space. He warns that if anyone tries to leave the curtained off area, that he would shoot them. He takes some clothes from the police officer and cautiously leaves the room. He walks slowly along the corridor, trying not to draw attention to himself. He watches anxiously, hoping he won't see anyone he recognises or anyone who recognises him. No one he sees, he recognises. However, one of those faces recognises him. Samantha. Slowly, she reaches for her weapon.

"Freeze, F.B.I.," she shouts, pointing her weapon, as he makes his way toward the exit. He spins around and immediately fires in her direction. Samantha manages to get down behind a laundry trolley, just as the glass behind her shatters. People in the E.R. hit the floor and scream as they realise what's happening.

In Jack's room, Martin is the first to react to the shot. He runs quickly from the room brandishing his back up weapon. He runs along the corridor and sees Sam taking cover behind the laundry bin. Staff and patients in the waiting area are hiding behind chairs or lying on the ground. His attention is drawn to the lone figure standing upright and heading for the doors. He recognises him as Sadiq Marku.

Marku also notices Martin and fires two shots in his direction. Martin ducks as two bullets whiz past, dangerously close. Automatically, Martin returns fire. He sees Marku thrown against the wall behind and he knows that he has hit him. Marku slides to the floor and remains motionless.

Cautiously, Martin approaches the injured man. He kicks Marku's gun out of reach, keeping his own weapon trained on him all the time. Sam follows Martin over. She bends down and feels for a pulse. She looks up at Martin and shakes her head. He's dead. As soon as staff realise that the danger has passed, they approach. One doctor feels for a pulse and listens for a heat beat. Both absent, he confirms the gunman dead.

Martin checks the room where Marku was being held. The injured police officer was beginning to come around. The medical staff were shaken but uninjured. NYPD officers begin to arrive at the hospital but the drama has abated.


	10. Chapter 10

After hearing the shots, Viv was having a hard time convincing Jack to stay where he was. Typically, he was trying to get up and get involved. But with Vivienne standing over him, ordering him to lie down, he thought better of it. It was killing him, not knowing what had happened. It wasn't long before Sam and Martin come back to his room.

"What the hell was that?" he asks, trying to sit up.

"Marku's dead," Sam tells him bluntly.

"He managed to overpower the officer assigned to guard him and was trying to escape," Martin explains.

"He nearly made it too, only I recognised him," Sam tells him.

"Are you guys OK?" Jack asks his agents.

"Yeah, we're fine. We're gonna have some explaining to do though," Martin reminds him.

"Aren't we all!" Jack replies.

Eventually, after all of their statements are taken, Martin decides it's time to go home and get a change of clothes and some rest. Viv leaves with Martin. Samantha elects to stay with Jack. Jack is soon moved to a private room, where he will spend the next couple of days. Not long after settling in, Danny arrives, having recently being discharged.

"Hey, I hear you guys have been shooting up the E.R.," he digs at Samantha.

"We had a little trouble, alright," Sam responds.

"Looks like they really worked you over," Jack comments, only seeing Danny's injuries for the first time.

"It looks worse than it is," Danny tells him. "So, you've had an eventful day."

"Don't remind me. This is a week I'd rather forget," Jack says, feeling somewhat sorry for himself.

"Me too," Sam muses.

They sit and talk for a while and then decide to give Jack some space. He bids them farewell and under the influence of a concoction of painkillers and sedatives, sleeps soundly for the night.

Next morning, Jack has an unexpected visitor,

"Victor! I didn't expect to see you," Jack says, surprised at the Deputy Director's appearance.

"You look better than the last time I saw you," he recalls, having seen Jack fresh out of surgery and seriously ill earlier in the week.

Jack and Victor's relationship was tense at the best of times. It was probably because they were so alike that they found it hard to get along. Neither liked the others methods or attitudes, but both were dedicated law men.

"So, have they given you the job of breaking the bad news," Jack asks.

"I've no bad news. Good news in fact. They stopped Pederov at JFK, trying to board a flight to Paris. He's in custody and singing like a canary," Victors tells him

."That is good news. And what about me, am I'm fired, or under arrest?" Jack replies.

"Oh, that. We've formed the opinion that you were under severe stress and very strong medication and that you can't be held accountable for your questionable actions. You will be required to under go counselling before returning to duty," Victor informs him.

"Really? I don't know what to say," Jack responds with surprise.

"You're one lucky son-of-a bitch, Malone. But you had better keep your nose clean because I will personally be watching your professional conduct from now on," Victor warns.

"Sure. Thanks," is all that Jack can manage, still stunned at the relative lack of repercussions for his actions. He wasn't expecting to have a job after what he'd done.

"So, when are you getting out of here?" Victor asks, looking around the hospital room.

"In a few days. But I was thinking of taking some vacation time before going back to work," Jack announces.

"I think that's probably the best idea you've had all week," Victor smiles. "Any plans?"

"I have two beautiful girls that I don't get to spend half enough time with. I'm going to start there," Jack tells him. "After that, who knows?"

**THE END**


End file.
